Delicate post here. Spring has sprung, and with it, panty ride-up. Have tried numerous commercial brands, and can't get away from the riding up.

I am not absurdly shaped, I don't think. Like some, I have a 'swayback'; I have a round, rather than flat shape, but not sitting as high as it used to. Anyway, am now seriously considering self-made.

But -- what if they just ride up, too? Does anyone know how to determine what part of me, or what part of them, causes this problem, and how to, ahem, rectify it?

(I've had this problem all my life: both when I was skinny in my teens and twenties, and now at 10-12 lbs. over that. Commercial panties are not made for my shape, it seems. The fabric all seems to be in the right place when I put them on. Then I start moving...)

I had this problem too, even with the panty migrating to that "middle portion of my backside". What I found, as a result of making my own panties, was that the elastic on RTW was not tugged in the "cheek" area. In other words, the elastic in this area should be stretched so it "cups" the "cheeks". Sorry to be so graphic here, but at least I didn't draw a diagram....

------"Play the cards you are dealt, but choose who is sitting at the table"..AARP magazine

When I finally found some that worked for me, I noticed that there was just plain more coverage across the back side, the side seams are farther around the front than most, which the maker claims make them stay put ("when you go hiking, they don't!") and the proper stretch of the leg elastic is key. I haven't made undies yet, but I have made bodysuits, and getting the elastic ratio correct makes all the difference. I followed the Kwik Sew Actionwear book instructions, which I think are to go 1:1 on the front of the leg and more like 2:1 or more on the back, with the greatest stretch going in the "cheek."

The silks I like are now up to $30 per pair and they are also slightly sheer, which is not so nice in a dressing room full of other people, so making my own may be a project waiting to happen. Hmmmm....and LynnRowe also gave me a bunch of pretty knits.....

------http://bgballroom.wordpress.com to follow the progress on my next ballgown.

My self-made pairs are almost a boy short, and the low leg prevents creep. I cut the waist lower so they do not look granny. They're all I wear now. Unfortunately, I can't help you with a pattern as I copied a pair of RTW. But I think there are plenty of boy short patterns out there. Just make sure it's one with a separate crotch piece, or at least no seam running the long way through the center of the crotch as that causes riding *and* chafing.

I've taken a panties class and the instructor said the problem is that the back is usually cut like a straight diagonal line. That line should be curved out to cup your bottom. She said to look at maternity panties. They are made with this curve because pregnant women aren't going to put up with that riding up nonsense.

I agree about the curved, cupped back part of the panties, and I personally have found that a center back seam is helpful, too.

However, there has been a small revolution in the RTW panty game lately. I was going through the racks at Macy's the other day and was astounded to find my fingers being stuck to by certain panties. On closer inspection, I saw that several brands have taken to putting--on the rear leg opening--a thin line of something like very narrow, very tacky elastic. This stuff is not applied by machine, but seems to be part of the fabric.

If you've ever had a gecko crawl on you, the sensation is a bit like that. Somewhat disturbing, actually.

I've altered the heck out of a KS panty pattern. Lowered the waist, widened the bum, moved the crotch seams to suit my shape, etc. I'm wearing my own panties right now and they never ride up like occasional RTW ones. I think the elastic, as an above poster mentioned, has a lot to do with it. I almost always use a 77%-80% ratio with elastic to leg and waist openings distributed all the way around, not more in the back and less in the front. I'm guessing this may not work for all shapes as the elastic might cut into a fleshier figure so one would have to tweak elastic to fit their shape.

I love my panties, and they don't ride up or move around. Those babies stay put.

I've purchased VS panties for years and recently had to stop because they ride up. The back leg elastic is sewn in flat and not stretched as it's sewn on. I switched to Soma because the elastic is done properly but the crotch piece is much narrower so they also ride up . Argh!

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